Business Development Manager of Heritage Care Homes Viktorija Stanciukaite has put a useful guide about paying for your care and support you can receive from your local council.
What is a self-funder?
A ‘self-funder’ is someone who pays for their own care and support. If you are a self-funder, local Council can still help you with information and advice on arranging your care and support.
What help is there for self-funders?
As a self-funder you are still entitled to have an assessment of care needs. Adult social care team will look at your specific needs and identify services which can help you. They can also do a financial assessment to see if you are eligible for council-funded care and support, or are likely to become eligible in the future.
How much money can I have before I am responsible for funding my own care?
The current threshold set by the Government is £23,250. If you have over £23,250 in capital and savings (or your share of joint capital is over £23,250) you will be expected to pay in full for your own care.
Under certain circumstances, self-funders may be able to get help from the NHS towards paying for their nursing home fees, through continuing healthcare, or NHS-funded nursing care.
How else can self-funders benefit?
Even if you have over £23,250 and are a self-funder, there are still lots of ways we can help you.
Local Council can help self-funders with:
- information about local services
- help to arrange your care and support
Self-funders may also be able to benefit from:
- services which are not chargeable
- access to non-residential care and support services which could be charged at a reduced rate
- Deferred Payment Agreements – so you don’t have to sell your home during your lifetime to pay your care home fees.
Deferred Payment Agreements
If you are a self-funder and you are looking to move to a care home, then you may be eligible for a Deferred Payment Agreement. This is an arrangement between you and your local council which will allow you to use the value of your home to pay your care home fees.
Local Council will pay your care home fees for you and you can delay paying them back until you choose to sell your home, or if you prefer, until after your death.
What happens if I am a self-funder, but my money is running out?
If your savings are starting to decrease and you think they will soon fall below £23,250 you should contact local Council. You may be able to get financial assistance with your care.
If you are in a residential care home, you should make sure that you have enough money to fund at least 10 weeks of your care charges before your savings get down to £23,250.
Can I get help understanding what I need to pay?
Yes. Even if you are a self-funder you can still have a financial assessment. As part of the assessment local Council can help you to understand your care costs. If you are a self-funder you might also want to seek independent financial advice.
If you are looking for a care home in Luton and don’t know where to start or just need an advise, please get in touch with our Business Development Manager Viktorija Stanciukaite via email viktorija@heritagecarehomes.co.uk or call on 07398 144973.
